Once in South Carolina with Cornwallis, Captain Dunlap continued to distinguish himself. At Earle's Ford he led 14 dragoons and 60 militia into an assault against "a party from Georgia who had been plundering that day within a few miles of my post." He charged into their camp "killing and wounding about 30 of the rebels and making them retreat some distance." At that point Dunlap discovered that he had actually attacked a Patriot camp of near 400 men. He organized a hasty retreat back to Prince's Fort. Unfortunately for the Captain, "the rebels, getting the better of their consternation and finding the smallness of my force, pursued me with a party of horse. The moment they appeared in my rear, the militia ran off to the woods and left me with only ten mounted infantry to make good my retreat."[3] Advertisement

In spite of having the militia desert him, Dunlap managed to make an organized retreat of several miles to Prince's Fort. Once there, he found that several of the scared militia men had arrived first and spooked the garrison. Only a dozen men remained giving Dunlap a total force of about 22 regulars. "Expecting every moment to be attacked," the captain decided to make a speedy retreat, which he accomplished "without molestation." During the action, Dunlap only lost one of the regulars and two of the militia.[4] Even though forced to retreat with his militia scattered, Dunlap's personal reputation for coolness and bravery remained intact. In August Dunlap had a similar experience. Ferguson dispatched him with 14 regulars and 130 militia to take some rebel wagons near Cedar Springs. He chased one of the rebels right into their camp and found himself in an ambush. Before Dunlap could organize a retreat, he was wounded along with 20 or 30 of his men.